Flexible sheet dispenser



Nov. 21, 1961 J. R. GOTHREAU FLEXIBLE SHEET DISPENSER Filed Feb. 4, 1959United States Patent 3,009,604 FLEXIBLE SHEET DISPENSER John R.Gothreau, 661 4th Ave., Berlin, N.H. Filed Feb. 4, 1959, Ser. No.791,066 4 Claims. (Cl. 221-23) This invention relates to the dispensingof paper towels, napkins, wrapping material and other flexible sheetmembers. It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatuscapable of dispensing individual flat sheets from a stack. A furtherobject of this invention is to provide a cabinet capable of receivingflat unfolded, uninterlocked sheets in a stack and dispensing themindividually. Further objects will be apparent from the description,drawings and claims herein.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a preferred embodiment of this invention incross section;

FIG. 2 is a partially broken away front view of the cabinet of anotherpreferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relation of the movingelements of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The objects of this invention are achieved by positioning in a housing,parallel, spaced apart rolls adapted to be rotated in oppositedirections, having a special rela tion to each other and to sheets to bedispensed whereby the removal of one sheet brings the sheet nextadjoining in the stack into a looped position between the rolls, readyto be easily removed and so on.

In providing a simple apparatus for dispensing flat sheets, manyadvantages are achieved. Roll towel type dispensers are objectionable inthat they can not be reloaded without waste until the dispenser becomesempty. Flat towel dispensers for example have depended upon interfoldingsucceeding towels for the positioning of the next towel when one isremoved from a dispenser. The added manufacturing step of interfoldingrequires expensive machinery. In loading dispensers for interfoldedtowels, it has been necessary to interfold a towel of the new stack withthe rear towel in the dispenser in order to assure continuousdispensing. Folds in delicatessen paper, napkins and in towels areobjectionable from the users standpoint. The invention of thisapplication removes all of these objectionable characteristics fromindividual dispensing of sheet material.

Referring now to the drawings the invention will be described in moredetail. In FIG. 1 a cabinet housing 40 is mounted upon a backing plate42. As shown the housing is hinged at the bottom 44, and a self-lockinghasp 46 is provided at the top of the backing plate securing the housingto the backing plate. A sheet removal port 48 is provided in the frontof the housing. Inside the housing 40 and parallel to lateral edges ofthe sheet removal port 48 there are positioned two parallel frictionrolls 50 and 52. These rolls are supported by bearings not shown. Thesebearings are directly fastened to the sides of the cabinet housing 40.The rolls are spaced apart forming a slot so that a loop of the sheet tobe dispensed can be caused to protrude from inside the housing through.this slot and through the port. The housing constitutes a holder whichreceives a stack of sheets 54.-

The. holder is so adapted that when loaded a face of the stack is placedagainst both roll 52 and roll shield 51, which partially guards roll 50from contact with the sheets, that is to say, the shield preyentscontact of the' sheets with roll 51 when the sheets are part of thestack,

but permits a sheet to contact the roll as it moves from,

the stack through the removal port 48 as it is pulled downwardly towardsthat roll as shown in FIG. 1 by the user who is withdrawing the sheet. Apress plate 56 is Patented Nov. 21, 1961 provided, and is adapted to beplaced against the back of the stack of sheets. This press plate is heldin position by a spring means 58. By means of the press plate 56 thisspring means urges the stack face againt the roll 52 and the roll shield51. In a preferred embodiment a roll drive means 53 is providedconnecting rolls 50 and 52 in such a manner that the movement of one ofthe rolls causes the other roll to move in the opposite rotationaldirection. As shown thi drive means is a cross-belt pulley drive. Theroll drive means, the roll diameter and the position of the rolls withrespect to each other and to the stack are all interdependent as will beapparent from the following description.

A stack of sheets 54 is inserted in the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1. Inthe front sheet of the stack there is formed a loop 55 protrudingbetween the rolls 50 and 52, through the port 48. The shield 51 insuresthat the loop is comprised of the portion of the sheet extending fromthe end of the sheet adjacent to roll 52. The dispensing cabinet is nowready for action. When a sheet is desired, this loop is grasped andpulled out of the dispenser. In pulling, the sheet contacts roll 50 andturns that roll as it is withdrawn. Roll 52 turns in response to themotion of roll 50. Since sheet 55 is pulled com-' pletely out from underroll 52, roll 52 turns upon the next sheet 57 and because the frictionalresistance between adjacent sheets is not great, that next sheet slipsfrom the stack and forms a loop. This loop forms in the slot between theroll and extends through the port. After sheet 55 is completelywithdrawn, the newly-formed loop extends sufficiently through the portto permit grasping and like removal from the dispenser.

Referring now to FIG. 2 where like numerals refer to like elements ofFIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of this invention is presented. Roll 50is mounted on shaft 62. The shaft is held within the housing in bearings64, one of which is shown. These bearings are attached to the sides ofthe housing. A pulley 66 is mounted on shaft 62. An extension 63 ofshaft 62 protrudes through a side of the housing 40. A knurled knob 74is firmly attached to this extension, providing a means to manuallyrotate shaft 62. Roll 52 is mounted upon shaft 60,held by bearings 75. Apulley 68 is mounted upon shaft 60, in substantially the same plane aspulley 66. A crossed belt 33 connects pulley 66 with pulley 68. Theoperation of this preferred embodiment is as follows:

A stack of sheet material 54 is inserted in the housing and urgedagainst roll 52 by press plate 56 and spring means 58 as shown inFIG. 1. The press plate and spring cooperate with the roll shield 51 toform a sheet restraining means. The knurled knob 74 is turned in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed from the knob end, turning shaft62. Through the pulley connection shaft 60 is turned causing roll 52 topush the sheet in contact with it towards roll 50. A loop is thus causedto be formed between the rolls in port 48 and upon suflicient turning islarge enough to be grasped by an individual desiring to use thedispenser.

Upon pulling the loop now extending through port 48, the upper end ofthe loop will be freed. Now, if the sheet is pulled downwardly frictioncontact with roll 50 is effected, turning that roll. In the form shown,by the crossed belt the pulley '68 of equal diameter with pulley 66 iscaused to turn counterwise at the same speed. This movement istransferred to move roll 52 at the same speed as roll 50, disregardingslippage. Roll 52, frictionally engaging the next sheet, causesthat'underlying sheet to gradually form a loop in port 48. When theyinitial sheet is completely pulled out, the next sheet is sufiicientlylooped to permit grasping and like removal,

and in some instances the top end of the loop of the next from under thetop roll so as to hang down, having one loose end available for pullingout.

In FIG. 3 a diagram is provided giving visual aid in the explanation ofthe relationship that exists in the invention.

D and D represent the diameters of the respective rolls and L and Lindicate the distances between the rolls and the adjacent ends of thesheets. The angular speed one roll turns, W determines the angular speedthe other will turn because the drive is dependent. As indicated in FIG.3, D and D are equal and W and W are equal. L is substantially greaterthan L in order to compensate for some slippage. The desiredrelationship betwen the three variables will depend upon how muchslippage occurs between each of the rolls and the sheet with which eachis in contact.

Depending on the amount of slippage that takes place on a giveninstallation, the relative diameter of rolls and/or pulleys may bevaried for any given relationship between L and L to ensure that theloop 55 will be properly formed in successive sheets with normalwithdrawal of each preceding sheet. If no substantial slippage isencountered, L and L could be made equal with D and D also equal and Wand W equal so that withdrawal of any sheet would cause a succeedingsheet to be in the same position for removal as was the first sheetafter withdrawal of the first sheet.

In more general terms the preferred relationship between the threevariables may be described as follows: In the dispensing cycle comprisedof the step of withdravw'ng a sheet and the simultaneous step ofpositioning a second adjacent sheet for like removal it is importantthat the two steps remain in phase.

Because of the slippage described above, and because of variability ofsurface friction of paper sheets, the feeding of successive sheets isnever wholly uniform. But rather, upon withdrawal of one sheet, asucceeding sheet will sometimes come out so far as to be also graspedand removed with the first one, and on the other hand, a succeedingsheet will sometimes not be brought out far enough for successivegrasping after the first sheet is removed. The above device provides anovel means for readily adjusting the loop to restore it to the properstate in the event of such erratic operation. While the rolls movedependently, the shield 51 prevents the sheet portion under roll 50 frombeing moved with that roll when the user is not exerting downwardwithdrawal tension on the sheet, and roll 52 can alone affect the frontsheet when knob 74 is actuated. Thus, the size of the loop in the portcan be readily adjusted with adjustment of the phase relation betweenthe sheet and rolls 50 and 52. It will be readily appreciated that thissolution avoids the necessity of taking the dispenser apart to make theadjustment. Likewise avoided is the provision of a complex clutch or thelike. Thus, an inexpensive dispenser is achieved which realizes theobjects of practical, easily adjusted, automatic, single sheetdispensing of flat sheets, as of paper towels.

This invention has been described as utilizing pulley drive means, butit should be appreciated that other such means such as gearing isavailable to achieve the same relative movement and connection betweenthe two rolls. In addition, other friction elements such as endlesstracks and spring loaded, pivoted levers can be utilized under theteachings of this invention. Since many variations are within the spiritof this invention the descriptive words herein used should be taken asillustrative only.

What is claimed is:

l. A sheet dispenser apparatus for stacks of uninterleaved sheets inface to face disposition comprising a holder for a stack of such sheets,a pair of movable friction elements positioned at one face of saidstack, said elements being spaced apart so as to form therebetween anopening for looped egress of said sheets one at a time, means for urginga stack of sheets forwardly towards said movable friction elements,shield means adapted to be engaged with said stack, for cooperating withsaid means for urging said stack forwardly to impose a retarding forceon the foremost sheet, said shield means partially shielding onefriction element from direct contact with the face of the forwardlyurged stack while leaving said partially shielded friction elementexposed to driving contact by sheets moving through said opening in amanner such that the foremost sheet when being removed may contact theunshielded portion of the partially shielded element in order to actuatesaid element, means mechanically connecting said movable frictionelements for dependent simultaneous opposite motion, and a directfriction element actuating means adapted to move said unshieldedfriction element to set said dispenser for automatic action by partiallylooping a first forward sheet between said friction elements, saidelements being so driven and so spaced with respect to an inserted stackthat the motion imparted to said partially shielded friction element bya manual withdrawal of the portion of a forward sheet restrained undersaid shielding means imparts an opposite motion to the said unshieldedmovable friction element while it is in contact with a sheet underlyingthe foremost sheet whereby the underlying sheet will be formed into aloop extending through said opening during the terminal motion ofremoval of the foremost sheet.

2. An apparatus adapted to receive a stack of sheets having little butvariable frictional resistance upon each other and to dispense thesesheets individually, said apparatus comprising a housing for holding astack of sheets, a sheet removal port provided to extend across theother face of the stack of sheets within said .housing, a pair ofparallel, spaced apart rotatably mounted friction rolls within saidhousing so positioned that the space between the rolls cooperates withthe port to provide a passage through which looped sheets may pass inmoving from the stack out of the housing, means for urging said stack ofsheets against one of said rolls, means comprising a part of saidhousing for partially shielding the other of said rolls from directcontact with the face of the urged stack while leaving said partiallyshielded roll exposed to driving contact by sheets moving through saidpassage in a manner such that the foremost sheet when being removed maycontact the unshielded portion of the partially shielded roll in orderto actuate said roll, the housing permitting holding a sheet infrictional contact with the partially shielded roll during itswithdrawal from the dispenser, means to said first mentioned roll torotate in opposite direction from and at aspeed dependent upon themovement of the partially shielded roll, said rolls being of suchdiameters, being so positioned and so driven that when the first roll inrotation generates a linear distance equal to the distance from thatroll to the adjacent end of the stack, the partially shielded rolltraverses a distance substantially equal to the distance from it to itsadjacent end of the stack, less the linear slippage that occurs betweensaid partially shielded roll and the contacting sheet, means adapted toturn said rolls, and means provided to cooperate with said means forshielding to cause the independent dislodging from the stack the end ofthe front sheet under the first roll permitting the formation andadjustment thereof, of a loop between rolls while the other end of thesheet is not substantially disturbed to set the apparatus for subsequentautomatic action.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the said roll turning means forcreating between the rolls a loop of the portion of the front sheetunder the first roll comprises an extension of one of said rollsextending beyond said housing adapted to be turned manually causing thefirst roll to form the loop.

4. A sheet dispenser apparatus for stacks of uninterleaved sheets inface-to-face disposition comprising a holder for receiving a stack ofsuch sheets, a pair of rotatably mounted parallel friction rollsdisposed in said dispenser so as to extend across a face of a stackinserted in said holder, said rolls being spaced apart to form a slotfor looped egress of said sheets one at a time from said holder, ashield member interposed between one of said rolls and said stackpartially shielding said roll adapted to prevent contact of said stackwith said roll, but permitting driving contact with said roll of a sheetmoving from said stack through said slot, drive connection means forcausing dependent movement of said rolls whereby driving contact of asheet being withdrawn with said partially shielded roll causes loopingof a succeeding sheet by other said roll, which directly engages saidstack, one of said rolls being adapted to be directly manually rotatedfor causing movement of the roll directly engaging said stack for movingthe portion of the sheet engaging said roll While the opposite 15References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS363,694 Sperry May 24, 1887 517,896 Stevens Apr. 10, 1894 803,343 HoytOct. 31, 1905 1,312,449 Lundberg Aug. 5, 1919 1,703,594 Pratt Feb. 26,1929 FOREIGN PATENTS 391,489 France Nov. 2, 1908

